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Education – LGBT lessons in schools

November 2016

Christian teachers who are members of national unions may be at risk of unfair treatment over Labour pledges to push LGBT rights in schools, the Christian Institute has warned.

In October, Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the Labour Party, made the pledges in a manifesto on equality and diversity. The manifesto backed compulsory sex and relationship education, singling out ‘homophobic and transphobic hate crimes’ for police training. It also said his party would change the national curriculum ‘to reflect LGBT+ historical figures and LGBT+ rights’.

However, after Christine Blower, the then general secretary of the National Union of Teachers (NUT), said parties standing for election should adopt its proposals, the Christian Institute warned of intolerance against teachers with mainstream beliefs.

Simon Calvert, the Christian Institute’s deputy director for public affairs, said the NUT’s motion was itself ‘an act of intolerance towards mainstream Christians and their beliefs’. He said, ‘I wonder whether Christian members of the NUT who have paid their dues can expect any help from the NUT when their jobs are on the line’.

Previously, the LGBT History Month initiative has tried to teach children that Florence Nightingale was a lesbian and Isaac Newton was gay.